Breeding the redstriped eartheater
Pairs spawn on a flat stone or in a pit in the sand; the parents then take the eggs or larvae into their mouths (larvophile mouthbrooder), and the young shelter in the mouth at night or when in danger, with parental care lasting several weeks.
Step by step
Keep a group of 6 and let a pair form, or one male with several females.
A 300 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, fine sand to sift, a few rocks and open swimming space.
Clean warm water, big regular water changes and varied protein foods.
Eggs hatch about three days after spawning (in the parents' mouths). FishBase uses a fecundity of about 250 eggs.
The brooding parent holds eggs and fry, releasing them at about 1 cm; feed newly hatched brine shrimp.
- Coarse or sharp substrate
- Stressing the brooding fish
- Infrequent water changes
Male or female
- Male: Larger with longer fins and a bigger hump
- Female: Smaller and plainer
- Males have longer fins
Can I breed it in my tank?
- Takes some experience.
Day-by-day plan
Typical for mouthbrooders
- 21 days beforeGroup and condition
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
- Day 0Spawning
The female takes the eggs into her mouth and stops eating.
- Day 21Release
After about 3 weeks the female releases fully formed fry. Many breeders move her to a quiet tank first.
- Day 21First food
Fry eat crushed flake and baby brine shrimp straight away.
- Day 90Grow-out
Fry are a few centimetres long after about 3 months.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Simulator: guided
Usually one male with several females. Feed high-quality food.
Simulator: try it yourself
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
- Without live or frozen food the parents aren't in breeding condition.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.